Bolaji Agbekoya (The Pain Behind the Smile) - Episode 9

Happy new month to everybody who followed this story through the month of August and to those who are just joining us, I say welcome on board. To read from Episode 1, kindly click this link

Bolaji Agbekoya 9

..."Do you know that young man down there?" Bolaji ask Ruth who was busy checking the latest trend on twitter, she looked up from her phone for the first time since the two girls climbed up the steps to Bolaji's room, Ruth had the intention to give a response to Bolaji's question but her phone beeped before she could say a word, immediately she got the notification, she point a finger to the air like a student who is trying to get the attention of her teacher and off she goes, she was lost in her phone again.

"You are so annoying, Ruth, so your phone is more important than me now abi" Bolaji said in anger as she dumps herself on the bed, Ruth managed to look away from her phone, her eyes focused on Bolaji with an intention of giving her a deserved response after she raised her voice to her, you can't just wag your tongue towards Ruth without getting a deserved response, we all knows that Ruth of yesterday will not accept that likewise the Ruth of today. Although Bolaji words didn't really move Ruth, her tone did, Ruth looked at Bolaji for some seconds before she gave a reply, instead of dealing with Bolaji through her sharp tongue, she was calm with her words as she noticed Bolaji's mood was not right. "I know him, he's the assistant to Emmanuel, the efiko of our class when we were in Secondary school". Ruth dropped her phone on the bed, she moved from the doorstep where she has been standing to the side of the bed where Bolaji was, she discovered Bolaji was in tears as she pulled her up. "What happened?, Why are you crying?" Ruth asked as Bolaji rested her head on Ruth, as the thoughts of her first encounter with Agbako runs through her head.

Bolaji remembered the first time she met Agbako, she was in her final year at the university, it was late that evening, she was in tears as she just found out that her mother is not just aware that her father has been having sex with her but also plays a part in convincing her to come home that evening as she has lied to her that her father is so sick that he couldn't get out of bed. Bolaji who came into the house jumping a taxi as she has refused to go to the campus with the car her father bought for her listened in silence as Mrs Agbekoya accused Chief Agbekoya of spoiling Bolaji by giving her wings to the extent that Bolaji now sees herself as a rival, instead of a daughter. "If not for the ritual, I would have killed her and render us childless, because I don't even know if she's qualified to be called my daughter after what you and her have been doing" this statement by Mrs. Agbekoya squeeze life out of Bolaji who stormed out of her room in anger, Mrs Agbekoya had raced after her crying when she realises what her anger has caused, Bolaji who was not moved by her tears didn't say a single word to her father nor her mother, she got into her car and made up her mind never to see them again.

She drove out of the house that evening with a single decision in her head, to kill her father and mother. She was not crying at first, she cannot believe that her parents had been using her for rituals, what kind of ritual can that be? what's the effect of the ritual on her? all this questions pop into her head as she drives out in anger. After driving a few mile from her parents house, she parked her car and cry herself out, she cannot believe her mother has been pretending to her since the beginning of her life, she remembered the day her mother came to pick her from the school hospital after she collapses, that was when the principal announced the death of Mrs Oremeji (Bolaji's class teacher in secondary school), her mother beats heaven and earth out of her asking her to confess what she confessed to the principal, she was so afraid that her mother has been told of her fears, something she has manage to keep away from her mother for years. She wanted to confess to her but since she didn't tell the principal anything, there was nothing to confess. Her mother who refuses to believe her beat her even more before her father came to her rescue that day, that is the only day in her life she has been thankful to her father, she remembered how she rushed to him for safety, she has never been beaten like that in her whole life, not by her mother nor by anyone else.

Mrs Agbekoya continued to be harsh on her daughter while her father is always there to stand for her. After that day, a new stream of bitterness started flowing in her heart towards her mother while a new found love germinated in her heart for her father. A new Bolaji was born from that day, the new Bolaji is ready to do anything just to make her mother regret her life. The more the hatred grows in her, the more her love for her father increases, to top that up, her father showers her with different gifts from the day she suddenly walk up to him to tell him that she was not enjoying what he was doing to her before because she was a little girl, but now, she thinks she is mature enough to know the sweetness, she then promise she is ready for it and she don't want to stop doing it with him. From the day of confession, things changed between Bolaji and her father, whatever thing she asked she gets, she started acting weird to her mother as her father was always in her support, even when she is wrong, she knows the man will stand by her, she was so determine to make her mother's life miserable, so she does all kind of things to make her mother feel bad.

Bolaji didn't notice the man who has been standing close to her car until the man touched her to get her attention, she quickly cleaned her eyes, she looked at the young man in the face to know what he wants, the mean looking young man is not in a good mood as he has been waiting for Bolaji to leave the road for him, "I am going out" the young man said as he walks back to his car with the hope that she understands what he meant by that single statement, Bolaji who couldn't think straight steps out of her car to the surprise of the young man, "I didn't say follow me, I mean you should move your car", the young man said as he points to Bolaji's car. Bolaji stood beside her car, she didn't say a word, she was just there crying, the young man who pretended not to have seen the tears walked past her, he collected the key from her, and moved her car from the road, he gave the car to her and then drove off. Two young men who watched from the other side of the road suddenly realised Bolaji was not in her right mood, they wanted to seize that opportunity to rob her, they were on the verge of taking her car away when Agbako and some boys appeared out of nowhere, they managed to beat the two boys up, before handling them to the Police. "Get into the car" Agbako ordered like a Lieutenant General, Bolaji obeyed without asking any question, they got to the car, right in the car, she explained everything that has happened to her to a total stranger, after her narration, Agbako promised to help her out only if she can pay him which she agreed.

"Bolaji talk to me, what is wrong with you?" Ruth's word brought Bolaji back from the land of thoughts, a worried looking Ruth asked her friend who manages to give a faint smile, "I am fine, I am just thinking of those days my daddy will come to pet me to bed like this", Bolaji stood up from the bed, she walked towards the door, she wanted to open it but discovered someone was holding the door from the other end, her mind skip a bit, there is no reason to be afraid of Agbako because he was paid in full, "what is he doing here", that question is what Bolaji cannot answer. Bolaji turned to Ruth, "just say I am not inside", she said as she hide herself behind the door. The door opened, when the person asked of Bolaji, she was surprise it was Mama, "Mama, come in," she said, "I am here to take you downstairs, Sunday is here with the body, we need to start the programme" Mama responded as she ignore Bolaji's request for her to come in. Ruth quickly picked up her phone, she dialled a certain number which appears to be on her speed dialled. "Did you get clear pictures of the arrival from mortuary?" she asked her photographer, who gave her a positive answer, she smiled to herself before hanging up. The three women walked down the steps. As soon as Bolaji walked into the overcrowded sitting room, a man who was the MC for the occasion called for the attention of everybody as he starts the programme.

"Bolaji is the next person to die, am sure you know that," Sunday said to one of the boys with him as he gives Bolaji a cool smile, Bolaji smile back at him. Just as she took her eyes off Sunday, she heard a sound, before she could understand what was going on, she realises she has been hit by a bullet, she gasps for air, Ruth rushed down to where she is, held her up, she looked at Ruth as her sight goes blur, Mama was screaming on top of her voice, Bolaji cannot hear exactly what she was saying, but she knows she was screaming, "Ruth help me..." was Bolaji's last words as she crashes to the hands of Ruth.

I appreciate you for reading today's Episode, am so sorry for making you wait this long, I pray for more inspiration. Happy new month to you